Thursday, August 9, 2012

Origin by Jessica Khoury

Origin

Author: Jessica
Khoury

Publisher:
Razorbill

Pages: 372

Rating: 3.5
Stars

Pia has grown up in a secret laboratory hidden deep in the Amazon rain forest. She was raised by a team of scientists who have created her to be the start of a new immortal race. But on the night of her seventeenth birthday, Pia discovers a hole in the electric fence that surrounds her sterile home—and sneaks outside the compound for the first time in her life.Free in the jungle, Pia meets Eio, a boy from a nearby village. Together, they embark on a race against time to discover the truth about Pia’s origin—a truth with deadly consequences that will change their lives forever.Originis a beautifully told, shocking new way to look at an age-old desire: to live forever, no matter the cost. This is a supremely compelling debut novel that blends the awakening romance ofMatchedwith the mystery and jungle conspiracy ofLost.~Goodreads

In all honesty,
the beginning of this one was a tad bit slow for me. It took me awhile to
figure out all of the characters and how they were related to Pia, and it took
me awhile to truly understand what was going on—but once I did, the story was
too interesting to put down!

I also really
couldn’t connect with Pia in the beginning. I felt that even though she
was created that way, she was too perfect. Her life was SO structured in a way
that was almost boring. And the other characters that surround her in Little
Cambridge? Not some of my favorites. Her Uncle Paolo was an
obsessive-compulsive maniac and her mother? Yikes, just yikes. But there were a
few characters I liked, such as her dad, even though he was quiet and I really
liked her Uncle Antonio!

The story
really didn’t take off, though, until Dr. Harriet arrived. Harriet challenges
and questions Pia's perfection in a way no one else ever has and that
unsettles Pia a lot. Other things that unsettled Pia? The fact that Pia has to
swim at this time and draw at that time, Pia has to do this task and take that
test, Pia can’t go outside, Pia can’t see a map, Pia can’t know about cities.
Pia is SO sheltered I actually felt sad for her.

Until she one
day she’s had enough. And she sees her escape and takes it. She slips through
the fence and into the jungle. And she runs into a boy. Literally—smacks right
into him.

EIO. This, this
is when I FELL for the story, when I met Eio. He is just so...so adorably
adorable. Like, I don’t know how to explain him...he’s so...he’s just...wild. His
heart is wild, his soul is wild, his hair is wild. He’s so smart and Pia is
absolutely fascinated by him, um, welcome to the club girrl! He calls her Pia
Bird and it’s so cute and oh my gosh he
gives her this necklace and it was so cute and he takes her to see the stars
and river and it was so cute and he asks and asks and asks her to stay with him
in the jungle and it’s so cute and oh man. I loved him. And the Ai’oans. (the
native people he lives with.) Those were the BEST scenes, when Pia was in the
jungle with them. And Ami?! Oh my gosh such a little sweetie! <3 font="" nbsp="">3>

But Pia can’t
be free forever without a cost and the ending of this book!?!? It was so fast
paced and intense and violent and totally unexpected in the most awesome way.
Like whoa.

Overall, Origin
is a unique debut novel that captivated me with its characters and enchanted me
with its setting—you should most definitely check it out this fall.

I just reviewed this one today. It sounds like you disliked the beginning more than I did. I couldn't say that I loved the beginning but I was intrigued by the thought that she was so convinced that she was perfect. I knew that should couldn't truly be perfect...and I find it funny that one of it is that she doesn't have strength. I personally think that is one thing I would want over being able to run fast. LOL Love your review!!!

I've just scheduled my review for this one :)I think I wasn't so much bothered by the slow beginning as I was by the fact that she never really questioned what was outside Little Cam until around her seventeenth birthday. Was she never curious?

About Me

I'm an Avid Reader & Full Fledged Fangirl. I love to be silly, drool over boys (fictional AND non-fictional!), eat hot pockets and tweet! Have any questions or wanna squee about some stuff? Feel free to contact me! :)